In a principal aspect, the present invention relates to a transport device especially useful for transport of an incapacitated individual, for example, by positioning the individual in a seat of a vehicle or by removal of an individual from a vehicle seat.
In order to avoid manual lifting of incapacitated individuals, such as hospital or health care patients, various types of lifts or supports have been developed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,806,430 discloses a patient lift device which comprises a framework including spaced, horizontal legs connected by a cross frame member that supports a vertical post and patient support including a patient chair assembly, harness or sling. A patient in the chair assembly may be raised or lowered and moved by the lift construction. Thus, the patent discloses a lifting system for patients which is particularly useful in the health care field.
A problem that remains continuously vexing, however, involves movement of a patient from a vehicle or into a vehicle by means of a patient lift and assist system. Ease of movement is a challenging problem because, among other reasons, the dimensions of vehicle doors, door heights, door configurations and vehicle seat constructions vary significantly from vehicle to vehicle. The height of the space or area within a passenger compartment of vehicles also varies significantly. Thus, there have developed numerous problems of determining methodologies and providing apparatus which will facilitate movement of patients into and out of vehicles as well as into and out of other environments, or providing apparatus that is not cumbersome or difficult to use, and of providing apparatus or a device which permits carrying or movement of patients of various mobility, size and weight.